Uranus
Uranus
Planet · 19.19 AU from the Sun
Uranus facts
- Type
- Planet
- Distance from the Sun
- 19.19 AU (2.87 × 10⁹ km)
- Orbital period (year)
- 84.1 Earth years
- Diameter
- 50,724 km
- Mass
- 8.68 × 10²⁵ kg
- Moons
- 28
- Rotation period (day)
- 17.2 hours (retrograde)
- Axial tilt
- 97.77°
- Mean temperature
- -195 °C
- Discovered
- 1781, by William Herschel
Orbit
About Uranus
Uranus is the seventh planet, an ice giant that rotates on its side, likely knocked over by an ancient collision, so its poles take turns facing the Sun. Methane in its atmosphere gives it a pale blue-green colour, and it was the first planet found with a telescope.
- Named after the Greek god of the sky
- Discovered: 1781, by William Herschel
Uranus: frequently asked questions
- What is Uranus?
- Uranus is a planet in our Solar System, orbiting the Sun at an average distance of 19.19 AU (2.87 × 10⁹ km). Uranus is the seventh planet, an ice giant that rotates on its side, likely knocked over by an ancient collision, so its poles take turns facing the Sun.
- How far is Uranus from the Sun?
- Uranus orbits the Sun at an average distance of 19.19 AU, about 2.87 × 10⁹ km. One AU is the Earth-Sun distance, so Uranus is roughly 19.2 times Earth's distance from the Sun.
- How long is a year on Uranus?
- Uranus takes 84.1 Earth years to complete one orbit of the Sun, which is one Uranus year. By Kepler's third law, bodies farther from the Sun take longer to go around.
- How many moons does Uranus have?
- Uranus has 28 known moons.
- How big is Uranus?
- Uranus has a diameter of about 50,724 km and a mass of roughly 8.68 × 10²⁵ kg.
See Uranus in motion
Data from NASA/JPL and NSSDCA. Source.